To my most Honoured Patrons, — THE
TRUSTEES,
Appointed by the Will of the Honourable
Robert Boyle, Esq;
The Right Reverend Father in God,
THOMAS,
Lord Bishop of Lincoln,
Sir Henry Ashurst, K^t and Baronet,
Sir John Rotheram, Serjeant at Law,
John Evelyn senior, Esquire.
Most Honoured,
GOD having disposed the Heart of that incomparable Person, the Honourable Robert Boyle Esquire, lately deceased, the Glory of our Nation and Age, whose Charity and Goodness were as universal as his Learning and Fame; 'To settle an Annual Salary for some Divine or Preaching Minister, who shall be enjoyned to perform the Offices following: 1. To preach Eight Sermons in the Year, for proving the Christian Religion against notorious Infidels, viz. Atheists, Deists, Pagans, Jews and Mahometans; not descending to any Controversies that are among Christians themselves: The Lectures to be on the First Monday of the respective Months of January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November; in such Church as the Trustees shall from time to time appoint: 2. To be assisting to all Companies, and encouraging them in any Undertaking for propagating the Christian Religion: 3. To be ready to satisfy such Real Scruples as any may have concerning those Matters; and to answer such New Objections or Difficulties as may be started, to which good Answers have not yet been made: You have been pleased to believe me able in some measure to perform these Offices, and to command this First Essay to be made public. I am every sensible of the great Honour, as well as the great Extent and Difficulty of the Task; and shall endeavour to the utmost of my poor ability to answer the religious and generous Design of that Excellent Person, and the good Opinion you have entertained of
My most Honoured Patrons,
Your very obliged and
humble Servant
March I7. 169½. R. BENTLEY.
CONTENTS.
SERMON I.
THE Folly of Atheism, and (what is now called) Deism; even with Respect to the Present Life.
Psalm XIV. v. 12.
The Fool hath said in his Heart, There is no God; they are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doth good.
Pag. 1
SERMON II.
Matter and Motion cannot think: Or, a Confutation of Atheism from the Faculties of the Soul.
Acts XVII. 27.
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him; though he be not far from every one of us: for in him we Live, and Move, and have our Being.
p. 45.
SERMONS III, IV, V.
A Confutation of Atheism from the Structure and Origin of Human Bodies.
Acts XVII. 27.
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him; though he be not far from every one of us: for in him we Live, and Move, and have our Being.
p. 85, 122, 163.
SERMONS VI, VII, VIII.
A Confutation of Atheism from the Origin and Frame of the World.
Acts XIV. 15, &c..
That ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, who made Heaven and Earth and the Sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffer'd all Nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless, he lest not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave us Rain from Heaven, and fruitful Seasons, filling our hearts with Food and Gladness.
p. 203, 246, 293.
Commencement SERMON.
I Peter III. 15.
Be ready always to give an answer to every Man, that asketh you a reason of the Hope that is in you.
p. 343